Midnight Swim

Writers: Heather, Miriah
Date Posted: 26th March 2019

Characters: Thayde, Enamra
Description: Enamra takes a midnight swim but has a secret observer
Location: Dolphin Hall
Date: month 10, day 15 of Turn 9

Thayde

Enamra

--
Everyone was asleep, but Enamra couldn't get comfortable, nor could
she truly relax. Tossing in her cot, she tried to ignore the sounds of
the other young women sleeping, but even the sound of their breathing
annoyed her. One of them even snored and the soft rattles disturbed
whatever chance she might have had at slumber.

She's had nights like this before at home. Sometimes she just couldn't
rest. But her relaxation there had been special. It couldn't be done
here...or could it? She sat up quietly. If everyone was asleep, then
maybe...maybe it could. Moving on tip toe, she snuck out of the
drudges quarters and padded down the hallways on silent feet. The Hall
was blissfully quiet and that suited her purposes perfectly. They'd
little need for a guard being so close to the Weyr, so why would
anyone else be awake?

The main rear door opened without a creak. She glanced around, and
seeing no one, darted over the walkway, to the sand, and straight to
the docks. She looked around again, scanning the moonlit area with
sharp eyes. There was no movement but the lap of waves against the
shore. Sighing with relief, and glancing around again just to make
sure, Enamra pulled her gown over her head. She wore nothing beneath.
She took a moment, stretched, then with a smile, dove quietly into the
water with very little splash.

Thayde had been sitting a little way's down the beach, knees drawn to
his chest, arms looped around them as he enjoyed the feel of the ocean
air on his face. The moons reflected in the rippling reflection of the
water, giving enough light to faintly see by. He'd been down in the
water earlier with Ada, but rather than retreating to his room by
himself, he'd sat on the beach, drinking in the solace and comfort
that only the salty air could give.

Something briefly caught his attention from the corner of his eye, but
when he looked down the beach he couldn't make out anything until the
shadow of a figure broke one of the moonlit reflections on the water.

Enamra swam, letting the pull of the water work on her muscles. She
had missed this, the secret nighttime swimming that her father would
have been horrified at. Well, he wasn't here anymore, and she didn't
have to fear his reprisals. She pushed that thought away, deciding to
float on her back and let the water wash over her bare skin. She
sighed with a smile, enjoying the salt and the light breeze that
prickled her skin with its coolness. She felt her hair flow out around
her, tangling around her neck and arms, but felt the caress with
enjoyment. She felt free in the water...truly free.

Thayde tried to give whoever it was swimming their privacy by tilting
his head back and studying the sky, which was scattered with a
plethora of stars, but every now and then the sound of a gentle splash
here or there, heard even over the soft gurgle of the waves, drew his
attention. Who was it? he wondered. Most of the people who lived at
the Dolphin Hall were swimmers by nature, so it could have been
anyone, but Thayde pretty much knew the swim patterns and figures of
all the dolphieners he worked with- it wasn't one of them.

A fish nibbled her toes and she released a giggle of mirth, finally
kicking away and swimming towards the shore. She waded up to the sand,
wrung out her long hair and then with a soft laugh of private glee,
ran to the docks once again. She paused, took a breath, then ran,
leaping out of the water, curled up and hit the water with a louder
splash.

When the swimming figure made its way to the shore, Thayde could make
out the silhouette of a woman's figure in the moonlight. Desire
stirred within the dolphineer. It had been so long since he'd been
with a woman that Thayde didn't even like to think about it, but the
allure of the decidedly feminine figure was hard to ignore. It wasn't
until he watched the shadow race down the dock and leap into the water
that it hit him like a fist in the gut. The figure was Enamra! The
realization caused him to turn his head immediately. She was his
patient, she was off-limits, she was a _girl_. A girl that motherhood
had given a few curves that she had lacked when she first arrived at
the Dolphin Hall...

**Stop it, stop it!** Thayde told his mind. He needed to get off the
beach, but dare he risk moving and her seeing him? Then she might
think he'd been out there peeping, or he'd embarass her and she'd
never go swimming again.... He decided his best option was to sit
incredibly still, hope she never saw him, and wait until she left to
go back in.

She laughed softly as she broke the water, then waded out again. That
had been far too much fun! She walked up the beach, heading for the
dock again, now comfortable that she was completely alone, she felt no
shame or hesitation in her nudity. How often had she swam naked at
home with her siblings? She closed her eyes and felt a gust of wind
from the ocean slide over her skin and just stood there, enjoying the
salt spray of the ocean. She shook her dripping hair back over her
shoulders and lifted her head, not knowing that the light of the moons
that bathed over her made the paler parts of her body glow.

Like the gentleman that he'd been raised to be, Thayde had been
resting his forehead against his arms, face hidden, waiting for Enamra
to finish her swim and leave. The seconds seemed to drag by, feeling
like an eternity while he waited. **She's got to be gone by now,** he
thought as he lifted his head just a bit, his hair lifting in the wind
as he peered in her direction. **Not... Not gone...** His brain
flashed a warning as he took in the ethereal glow of her skin, throat
suddenly dry as he saw her as Enamra, the woman, rather than Enamra,
the girl.

She dove into the water again,swimming out farther than she previously
had. Her head bobbed upwards, then disappeared again and remained out
of sight for long moments. She emerged closer in, letting the waves
wash her closer before finally wading up to shore once again. The
current that she'd had to swim against had tired her muscles enough
that she hoped she would be able to finally rest. Sighing with
satisfaction, she found her way to the docks and wrung out her hair
once again before piling it up in a haphazard knot on top of her head.
Not knowing that eyes were on her, she gave a long stretch before she
bent to pick up her nightdress.

Thayde had felt a bit more in control of himself when she'd gotten
back into the water, obscuring her form from view. The moment she'd
walked onto the beach again, however, his eyes had been drawn to her
figure like a magnet. The healer part of him noted things such as the
healthy weight that now covered the ladder of her ribcage, the now
smooth curve of her hips, and the shapely line that had been added
along her breasts and shoulders.

**Shaffit,** he tore his eyes away when she bent to retrieve her
nightgown. He was no better than the jerk that had gotten her
pregnant, he thought. **Gawking at her while she thinks she's having a
private moment,** he chided himself.

Enamra pulled her nightdress over her and then took a slow breath. The
swim had been soothing to both her nerves and her body. She smiled at
the waves, then turned, moving quickly but silently up the shores to
the walkway. She didn't look back, but slipped back into the Hall on
quiet feet.

The moment he'd been waiting for finally came when she left the beach
and went back into the Hall. Only, instead of returning to his room as
he'd planned, Thayde walked down into the cool water, hissing and
cursing as he did. As he closed his eyes and willed his body to forget
everything he'd seen, he wondered how in Faranth's name he was
supposed to look at her as a student the next time she came for her
reading lesson? "Shaffit."

Last updated on the April 4th 2019

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Midnight Swim